A Spicy Chinese Gift From Hawaii for the Holidays

DEAR SOS: The eggplant with hot garlic sauce at Yen King restaurant in Kahala Mall

Shopping Center in Honolulu is outstanding. I’ve been unable to obtain the recipe locally. I would love to serve it to my husband, and I am sure many readers would also enjoy this recipe.

--ANNIE

DEAR ANNIE: Many readers enjoy this spicy eggplant dish in restaurants featuring China’s hot cuisine of the North, so we are happy to share it from a Honolulu restaurant. It’s an excellent dish and not too difficult to prepare. However, to minimize fat absorption during frying, make sure the fat is hot.

SPICY HOT SAUTEED EGGPLANT

1 pound eggplant

Oil

2 ounces boneless pork, shredded

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger root

1 dried chile, cut up

1 tablespoon Sauterne

1 teaspoon soy sauce

3 green onions, cut into 2-inch lengths

1/3 cup sliced bamboo shoots

2 tablespoons canned straw mushrooms

1 ounce dried black mushrooms, rehydrated and sliced

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon sugar

Dash salt

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons water

Partially peel skin off eggplant lengthwise, reserving some skin for firmness and color. Cut eggplant into finger-size strips. Heat oil to 450 degrees and add eggplant strips. Cook 2 minutes or until golden. Drain and set aside.

Heat wok until smoke appears. Add 1 tablespoon oil, pork, garlic, ginger and chile. Stir-fry 3 seconds. Add Sauterne, soy sauce, green onions, bamboo shoots, straw mushrooms and black mushrooms. Toss over high heat several times.

Add broth, sugar, salt and vinegar. Stir and toss few times and simmer 10 seconds. Mix cornstarch with water and stir into wok. Add eggplant and toss to heat through. Makes 2 to 4 servings.

DEAR SOS: The Red Onion restaurants serve a wonderful dessert called Fried Ice Cream. I would love to be able to serve it at home. Please help.

--MELINDA

DEAR MELINDA: How about a similar recipe from El Torito which we acquired in 1984 and have been enjoying it since. It’s a terrific dessert to keep in mind for holiday entertaining, when you can prepare them well in advance. You can serve the ice cream balls with or without the tortilla container, which is fried at the last moment.

EL TORITO’S DEEP-FRIED ICE CREAM

20 ounces chocolate chip ice cream

2 cups 4-grain flake cereal, crushed

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 eggs

1 teaspoon water

4 (8-inch) flour tortillas

Oil for deep-frying

Cinnamon-Sugar

Whipped cream

4 maraschino cherries

Form ice cream into 4 balls. Place in baking pan and freeze solid, 2 hours or longer. Mix cereal, sugar and cinnamon. Divide equally between 2 pie plates or other shallow containers. Beat eggs with water.

Roll each ice cream ball in cereal mixture and press coating into ice cream. Dip coated ball in egg wash, then roll in second container of cereal mixture. Again press coating onto ice cream. Freeze coated ice cream balls solid, 4 to 6 hours.

To make each hourglass-shaped tortilla container, cut off curved slice from 2 opposite sides of each end with narrow waist. One end will serve as base for ice cream. Other end will be decorative fan.

Heat oil. Place tortilla between 2 ladles or large spoons of different sizes (smaller ladle on top). Place tortilla so that base end is cupped in larger ladle to form basket, with back of upper fan supported by handle of larger ladle. Deep fry until crisp. Drain and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.

Deep fry frozen coated ice cream balls 30 to 45 seconds. Place each fried tortilla in large-stemmed glass with fan part of tortilla standing vertically above glass. Set fried ice cream ball in base of tortilla. Top with dollop of whipped cream and decorate with cherry. Makes 4 servings.

DEAR SOS: I have been in search of a recipe for Texas Caviar, which I understand is made with black-eyed peas. I would like to serve it at my annual cocktail party this Christmas.

--CHARLOTTE

DEAR CHARLOTTE: We obtained the recipe for this popular party appetizer from the Beef Baron at the Flamingo Hilton in Las Vegas.

TEXAS CAVIAR

1/2 pound black-eyed peas

1 cup diced green pepper

1/4 cup diced pimientos

1 cup diced onions

1/2 cup finely chopped green onions

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno chiles

1 cup bottled Italian dressing

Salt, pepper

Soak peas in cold water to cover overnight. Drain and rinse. Cover with fresh water and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour or longer until tender. Do not overcook.

Drain, rinse and place drained peas in large bowl. Add green pepper, pimientos, onions, green onions, garlic, chiles and Italian dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4 cups.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. We are unable to answer all requests. Please include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants. Send your letter with self-addressed, stamped envelope to Culinary SOS, Food Section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.